Exerciser



Jan. 3, 1956 B. G. HAYES 2,729,271

EXERCISER Filed Dec. 11, 1952 INVENTOR. Barbara Gr/ffm Hayes A TTORNE Y Fig.6

shoulders.

United States PatentU,

"My invention relates to playground -eguipment for chilidren .and has particular referenceto a "resiliently suspend- :ed-exerdise'rfoi development of arm' and shoulder-muscles.

Various :type of bars, ladders, swings and other' playsground :equipment 1 are employed for the proper muscular deuelopment of young ichfldten. .ln ariablmd'however, these devices lendithemselyeszmore .to .the development of 3 l hfl kJHtl ClQ and f witelns of equipment are a a lab e r muscu ar dev lopmentpfthe-armsxand The various overhead bars, rings and .horizon al ladder give ris to arm development, but place such a great strain on muscle tissue that .onlylthe active and strong children use them regularly. In the kinder garten and younger age group especially, thev children seldom have :sufiicient strength tosupportthe -weight of their bodies while .using such devices.

I have devised a resiliently suspended exerciser that .gives maximum arm and shoulder developmentghy virtue afo l! Part u p n the o y-aveiah y h of :theuser. Furthermore, the device {tilts in use'in such a @w y a t partially sp n the-users ody.ithrow ng p rt ofthe bodys sp ing fiortsonarm ndishoulder Because of the resilient suspension ofnny devicegtheguser attempts to set up a vertical rythmic movement which can best be accomplished by pulling the body upward by the arms to start and maintain the vertical oscillation. The child using the device accordingly performs a vertical pumping movement by use of arms and shoulders. These various effects combine to make my exerciser most effective.

It is therefore a principal object of my invention to provide an exerciser for children for development of arm and shoulder muscles.

Another object is to silient suspension.

A further object is to provide an exerciser of resilient suspension wherein a minor part only of the users body weight is supported by the users legs.

Still another object is to provide an exerciser having resilient suspension that adapts itself to vertical pumping by the user.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent in the following description and claims considered together with the drawing forming an integral part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation view of one of my exercisers showing the mode of use;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the exerciser of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an isometric view of a gantry frame supporting two devices embodying my invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevation view partly in section of a T frame with a pivoted cross bar supporting two exercisers embodying my invention;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a spring for my exerciser having a limit stop for the extension of the spring; and

Fig. 6 is a side view of the limit stop device of Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a suitable horizontal sup port 8 may have a hook, eye or other suitable fastener provide an exerciser having re- 2,729,271 Patented Jan. .3, .1956

I simmered lhereto .for the support of a .tension spring .11

.qpper and .lower hooks 11a and 11b formed there- .on. Passing over the .lower spring hook 11b maybe a -M Shflped motalstrap 12 having several pairs of holes 12a 5 thr ughione of which a .bolt '13 may P ---T.he -s rap'. 12.andqbo1t 13 may support a double cross lirame I15' including avertical member 14, an upper cross .momber 15-.and. alowercross member 17. A child 18 simay besupportedhy the frame 15 by placing his legs-over l0 ,lhelower. crossmember 17 .and by grasping the upper Across member in his hands.

il-iterate of spring .11 should be related *:t0 the weight of the userfor best results. For example, a spring that ,is .9 inches long at rest and stretches :four inches under 15 the .Staticfww'ght Lo'fa 40 pound .child issatisfactory for hildron. .or =this approximate @Weight. Corresponding weight-spring ratios may be satisfactory for children of greater .weight and .for very :light children. The .cross members 16 and [17 .are preferably rounded and dowels 0 may satisfactorily bearsed for this purpose. .The-kcr-oss .memhof 17. preferably may have a diameter of about 1% inches assmaHeI diameter dowels have a tendency to ihearloo'lhea ily against the-leg .of the user and "fcuf [into it. a The upper cross member 16 may .be any'suitable size", fortexatnple, 4 inch diameter orlarger. The length of the crfoss'armso'r members'lfiis ,not of importance and .3 1) nslhjth t jcarrie out thejfunctijon is satisfactory. crosspiec'es or farm 11S and 17 "are preferablyparallel =and thespacing will depend .upon the size of the c ld. For ages 6' months to Z'years a 17 inch spacing is satisfa'c'tory, and forflarger children from '2 to 4 years a 24 iiieli spacing is satisfactory. The adjustment "holes 12a in the strap 12 permit diiferentspacings of the frame from the ground. 'dm-operationnhenser l 8 pre'ferably places' his legs'over the-slower cross piece =17 :so that the backof the' knee thereon. ,iEhe *user :grasps ithfi upper vcross piece 16 with his hands. The users body may then be in the position shown in solid outline. By pulling upwardly with his arms the body of the user may assume the relative position shown in broken outline. The reaction to this change in body position stretches the spring 11. Thereafter the user may relax permitting his body to take a position relative to the frame to, or below, that shown in solid outline. The spring thereupon contracts, starting in motion a ver tical oscillation that carries with it the body of the user. Continuation of the movements results in a rythmic pumping action in a vertical direction, causing a large vertical harmonic oscillation of the frame and its user.

The pumping action depends primarily upon the user pulling upwardly with his arms. This pull, plus the pull against the slightly inclined frame member 14 (due to an offset center of gravity when in use) causes exercise of the arm and shoulder muscles of the user, giving them adequate and complete exercise. A substantial but minor part of the body weight is supported by the legs, prevent ing undue arm and shoulder strain, which in other devices generally causes early fatigue and lack of use of the apparatus. My invention, therefore, so supports the body that maximum exercise for arm and shoulder muscles may be obtained.

Referring to Fig. 3 there is illustrated a gantry support 21 from which may be suspended a pair of devices embodying my invention including a double cross frame 22 sus pended by a spring 23 and a seat type frame 24 suspended by a spring 26. The frame 24 may differ from that of Figs. 1 and 2 by employing a seat 27 connected to a vertical member 28 to which may be secured an upper cross bar 29. The seat will assist the support of very young children or exceptionally weak children. The vertical pumping is then obtained by relative movement of the upper part of the body more in the nature of a hunching operation which may be greatly assisted by pulling upon the cross bar 29 with the users arms. v

Referring to Fig. 4 there is illustrated the use of a pair of my inventions on a rotatable supporting frame. A suitable central support 31 may be used, such as a steel tube inserted in concrete, and a cross arm 32 may be pivoted thereon in any suitable manner as by a tube shaft 33 secured thereto projecting into the tube 31. A double cross frame 34 may be suspended from each end of the pivoted cross arm 32 by means of suitable springs 35. By occasionally pushing on the ground the user may set the cross arm 32 in rotation and this rotation to some extent may be maintained by the particular manner of vertical pumping. the attractiveness of the invention giving rise to an angular dimension of movement in addition to swaying actions which can also be obtained if desired. 7

Illustrated in Fig. is a spring 36 having an extension limiter 37 disposed therein. This device 37 prevents the spring from being stretched beyond its elastic limit which, of course, would cause damage to the spring. Springs having a suitable weight for very small children can be easily stretched beyond their elastic limit by children of older years and hence greater weight. The device 37 accordingly may consist of two linear members 38 each having a hook 39 formed on the end and each terminating in a loop 41 that surrounds or encloses the other member. When the device is elongated the two loops 41 engage each other stopping further extension of the spring 36.

Having described my invention with respect to preferred embodiments thereof I do not limit myself to these embodiments as they are merely illustrative of my device. Various modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled in the art and accordingly I claim all such improvements and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim: l

1. An exerciser wherein part of the weight of the user is supported by his arms comprising: a vertical frame member; an upper cross arm member secured to the frame member and extending from opposite sides thereof; a

.....lower cross arm member parallel to the upper cross mem' This rotational movement enhances ber and secured to the frame and extending from opposite sides of the frame member and spaced from the upper cross member by a distance approximately that from shoulder to hips of the user; and a tension spring secured to the upper end of the frame member; said exerciser being adapted for suspension from an overhead support, whereby the user may grasp the upper cross member with his hands and place his knees over the lower cross member to cause vertical oscillations when the user vertically pumps the exerciser.

2. An exerciser as set for in claim 1 wherein the connection between the tension spring and the vertical frame member is a U-shaped strap projecting from the upper end of the vertical member and the spring has a hook on the lower end thereof to engage the U-shaped strap.

3. For exercising the arms and shoulders, the combination of a double cross arm frame and a tension spring; said double cross arm frame comprising: a vertical frame member adapted to be straddled by the legs of a user; a lower horizontal cross arm member extending from both sides of the vertical member and over which the user may place his legs; and an upper horizontal cross arm member adapted to be grasped by the hands of the user, Whereby the user and double cross arm frame may be placed in vertical oscillation by a vertical pumping action of the user pulling upwardly with his arms on the upper cross arm member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 131,083 Colviu Sept. 3, 1872 910,994 Dittmar Jan. 26, 1909 1,057,360 Patten Mar. 25, 1913 1,493,913 Whiteside May 13, 1924 1,629,676 Buckminster May 24, 1927 2,553,932 Moser May 22, 1951 

